Norway objects to Global Fund-Heineken deal

Norwegian board member, Jon Lomøy, in the Global Fund states that Norway cannot support the recently announced partnership between the Fund and Heineken. The statement follows a joint open letter to the Global Fund urging it to end the Heineken deal.

IOGT International, NCD Alliance and the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA) wrote a critical letter to the Global Fund voicing deep concern and urging the Fund to immediately end the partnership. The letter was endorsed by a number of international organisations. (See separate article)

FORUT, one of the organisations endorsing the joint letter, followed up with a letter to the Norwegian member of the board of the Global Fund, Mr Jon Lomøy, who is also the Secretary General of Norad, the Norwegian Government Agency for Development Cooperation.

In reply Mr Lomøy said in a statement to the press: "The Norwegian authorities can not support this type of partnership with an alcohol company. This is not compatible with our development policy, but it is too early to say what happens to Norway's contribution if the fund maintains its cooperation." He also said that Norway would raise this issue with the Global Fund either bilaterally or through the board. Norway has pledged a contribution of 700 million NOK (close to 90 million USD) for the Global Fund in 2018 following sizable contributions over the years.

States Secretary General, Morten Lønstad of FORUT: “We are very pleased that Mr Lomøy reacted to this issue so quickly and will raise it with the Global Fund. Norway is a major contributor to the Global Fund and health related development assistance in general. It would be a break with the ambition of a coherent development policy if Norway funds a partnership involving a company that markets a product that is a major risk factor for ill-health globally.”